Despite her success, Le Pen lost the second round of voting to centrist Emmanuel Macron

Who won the French Election 2017?

Newly elected French president Emmanuel Macron, a 39-year-old former investment banker who ran without the backing of a major party, was the clear odds-on favourite to win the second round of the French presidential election against Marine Le Pen.

He won the final vote with a victory of 65.5% to 34.5%.

The pair made it through to the second round after Macron snagged 23.8 per cent of the vote while Le Pen, who heads the National Front party, finished second with 21.5 per cent.

It was the first time in 60 years that both the Republicans and Socialist candidates have failed to make it through to the decisive next stage, after Conservative Francois Fillon and left-wing politician Jean-Luc Melencho finished third and fourth respectively.

Macron and Le Pen faced off in a fiery TV debate just days before voters were expected to make their decision, with a poll taken immediately afterwards signalling that Macron was supported by 63 per cent in contrast to Le Pen's 34 per cent.